Missouri Western (1-0, 0-0 MIAA) at
RV/#24 Fort Hays State (1-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Saturday, September 7 – 7 PM
Hays, Kan. – Lewis Field Stadium

Game Sponsor: American Family Insurance, Brian Ruder Agency
Game Promotions: Friends and Family Day at FHSU / TGOF T-Shirt Giveaway near East Entrance (while supplies last)
 
Fort Hays State opens MIAA play on Saturday night (Sept. 7) against Missouri Western at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. Both teams enter the game at 1-0 on the season. FHSU is coming off a 21-7 win over Angelo State last week, while Missouri Western defeated Northeastern State 33-31.
 
The win for FHSU last week snapped a four-year string of dropping home openers. Five of the last seven home openers were against AFCA Top 25 ranked teams, with FHSU going 3-2 against those ranked opponents (wins in 2017, 2018, and 2024). The Tigers now have back-to-back wins at home over AFCA nationally ranked teams after defeating a No. 15 ranked Northwest Missouri State team during September of the 2023 season. Since the 2014 season, Fort Hays State has a record of 8-7 against AFCA Top 25 opponents at Lewis Field Stadium.
 
The Griffons are coming off an 8-4 season in 2023 and tied Emporia State for third place in the MIAA standings. They are in their second year under head coach Tyler Fenwick, who has taken each of the three NCAA Division II schools he has coached to bowl games. In 2018 he guided Missouri S&T to a Mineral Water Bowl win over MSU Moorhead. He guided Southeastern Oklahoma State to the Live United Bowl back-to-back years, defeating Emporia State in 2021 and then falling to Emporia State in 2022. Last year, Missouri Western played in the Live United Bowl, but lost to Southern Arkansas.
 
Fort Hays State played solid defense to knock off No. 24 ranked Angelo State in the season opener last week in Hays. The Tigers allowed just 203 total yards to the Rams, creating four sacks and two forced fumbles. Benyon Williams was named the MIAA Co-Defensive Athlete of the Week after recording 11 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble. Makel Williams (12) and Sam Brandt (10) also had double figure tackles in the game. Offensively, Shane Watts had 122 all-purpose yards, Trevor Watts had 95 all-purpose yards, and Jack Dawson threw for 271 yards.
 
Missouri Western had to rally in the second half to defeat Northeastern State last week in Tahlequah. NSU led 31-14 at the half, but Missouri Western rallied for 19 unanswered points in the second half to win 33-31. A 67-yard touchdown run by Brandon Hall in the fourth quarter pushed the Griffons into the lead. Hall finished the game with 185 rushing yards.
 
Fort Hays State is looking to snap a string of five-straight losses to Missouri Western. FHSU's last win over MWSU was in 2017, the season when the Tigers went a perfect 11-0 in MIAA play to win the conference title. The Griffons won last year's meeting 28-7 in St. Joseph.